As expected, it is Ko Young-pyo (32, KT).
Koh Young-pyo goes on a hunt for his first win at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). The WBC Korean baseball team predicted Koh Young-pyo as the starting pitcher for the first round of Group B in the WBC round 1 against Australia on the 9th.
In an official interview conducted after training on the 8th, coach Lee Kang-cheol did not disclose the starting pitcher for the match against Australia. However, many clues pointed to Ko Young-pyo. He is a sidearm type that can be somewhat unfamiliar to Australian batsmen, and has a large changeup. Unlike most sidearm pitchers, Ko Young-pyo’s changeup falls short. He’s not easy to get the timing right. He is also a typical ground ball judo type pitcher. His ground ball/float ratio last season was 1.86메이저놀이터, the highest in the league.
He moved early to match the schedule against Australia. He was the only one to not pitch in two evaluation matches in Osaka. On the 3rd, he scored 3 scoreless innings in a practice game against the SSG Futures (second team) team. He did not allow a single hit while facing 13 batters. He struck out four while giving up one walk. However, as there is a limit on the number of pitches in the WBC, it is not easy for one pitcher to handle long innings. The maximum number of balls a pitcher can throw in a round is 65.
It’s an important match. The top 2 teams from each group in the first round advance to the quarterfinals. In the case of Group B, Korea and Australia are aiming for the next round, while Japan, which boasts great power, is highly evaluated. If Korea defeats Australia, it will be more advantageous to secure a ticket to the quarterfinals. This is the background that everyone is determined to win. It goes without saying that the Korea-Japan match, which will be held on the 10th, can be greeted with a more comfortable mind. Manager Lee Kang-chul expressed his will, saying, “If we can save a pitcher against Australia, we can go all-in against Japan.”